Counting device.



C. E. CHAPMAN.

COUNTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAYIO, r915.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

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CHARLES E. CHAPMAN, F SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

COUNTING DEVICE.

S'pecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Got. '31, 1916 Application filed May 10, 1915. Serial No.27,269.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. CHAP- MAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Springfield, in the county of Sangamon sorted.

The object of the invention is to provide simple and inexpensiveimprovements in devices of the foregoing character, which improvementswill render such apparatus more convenient and accurate in itsoperation, and more durable and economical of construction.

with the foregoing general object in view, together with other importantobjects to be hereinafter pointed out, my invention comprises the novelconstruction and arrangement herein described, illustrated in theannexed drawings, and specifically mentioned in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my counting device.Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through my device, taken on line 22of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of my invention.

In the drawings, in which the preferred embodiment of my invention isillustrated,

like reference numerals refer to like or corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

Numeral 1 des1gnates an upright chan- Y neled post, having a verticallymovable slide 5 carried in the channeled portion, a series of spacedapart notches 6 being provided along one edge of the outer face thereof.A face plate 2 preferably formed of metal is fixed across the channeledface of post 1 to support the slide in place. A plurality of consecutivenumbers are provided on the forward face of slide 5, the numbers beingspaced apart in correspondence with the spaced notches 6 carried by theslide, a sight hole 9 being provided through face plate 2, through whichthe numbers may appear consecutively as the slide is moved vertically inthe channeled post.

The means for moving the slide vertically in the channel comprises avertically movable saddle 3, which straddles the front of the face plateand comprises parallel wings extending rearwardly on each side of thepost. The upward and downward movement of saddle 3 is limited by a pin15 passing horizontally through the post from side to side andprotruding through the wings on the saddle. An elongated vertical slot14 is provided in each wing, the ends of which slot limit the travel ofthe saddle by engagement with the pin. In order to decrease frictionbetween the slot and pin, I provide a movable roller 16 about each endof the pin to engage the walls of the slot in a well known manner. Theforward face of saddle 3 is provided with a trigger 7 pivoted between apair of lugs 8 on the face of the saddle. The upper end of trigger 7 isturned inward and pointed, being adapted to engage the teeth on slide 5,a perforation 7 being provided through the saddle 3 and face plate 1 toallow the engagement. The lower end of the trigger is extended and acoil spring 21 is positioned between the lower end of the trigger andthe saddle to normally force the upper end of the trigger inward intoengagement with the notches 6. It will be seen that any upward movementof saddle 3 will thus actuate the slide 5 also upward within thechanneled post.

The forward face of saddle 3 is provided with a material receiving arm4: fixed to the saddle and movable therewith. The wings of saddle 3are'provided with projecting hooks 11, to which are engaged the lowerends of coil springs 10. The upper ends of said springs are attached tothe ends of a cross pin 12, carried in one of a plurality of adjustingholes 13 through the post.

The normal position of saddle 3 is at the uppermost limit of its travel,with reference to the stop pin 15, the springs 10 normally drawing thesaddle upward. Vertical slots 22 are provided on the forward face of thesaddle and screws 23 are provided to further secure the saddle againstthe face plate. The slots allow the vertical movement of the saddle, theheads of the screws being larger in diameter than the width of the slot,thus holding the saddle from outward movement. It will be seen that whenthe saddle is pressed slightly downward by the application of a piece ofmaterial to the arm 4, the

trigger 7 will be drawn downward and its 1..

upper end allowed to engage the next lower notch 6 on slide 5. IVhen thearm is released the saddle will be returned by springs 10 to itsuppermost position and slide 5 will be drawn with it. The consecutivenumber of such actuation will appear through sight hole 9. r

A means is provided for holding the slide in its raised position afterthe trigger 7 has been released from engagement with one of the notches6. This means comprises a pin 18 passing through the post and comprisingan angular forward end turned at right angles to engage one of thenotches 6 in the slice. A spring 19, on the rear of the post ispositioned to normally draw the pin 18 and angular catch projectionthereon rearward, thus normally holding the slide from downward movementin the channel, but allowing upward movement thereof. In order torelease the slide 5 entirely, and to allow it to return to its lowestposition, a bell c ank 17 is pivoted to the angle to the lugs 90 on therear of post 1. The lower leg of the bell crank is positioned to engagethe end of pin 18, and the horizontal leg is provided with apull cord24, by which means the bell crank may be swung downward to actuate thepin 18 forward through perforations 18 in plate 2 and saddle 3, forcingthe angular projection thereon out of engagement with notches 6 in slide5. The pin is adapted to also engage the under side of trigger7, and toforce the trigger also out of engagement with the notches 6, allowingthe slide to descend. This movement is illustrated in Fig. 3 in dottedlines.

In operation it will be understood, that aplurality of posts embodyingmy improvements will be preferably provided, one marked to receivetowels, and other sheets, etc. As the material is being sorted, thesorted pieces will be applied to the corresponding arm a, the operatorpressing the same slightly downward. The slide will thus be elevated inthe channel and the proper member brought into view through the sighthole. After a series of such operations the total number of piecesapplied to the arm may be readily ascertained. he plurality of adjustingholes 13 in post 1 provide means for varying the tension of springs 10to accommodate the different weights of'the various pieces of material.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I have generallyimproved the apparatus for counting pieces of material, and that theimprovements render such devices more simple and accurate of operation,and more durable and economical of construction.

lVhile I have herein described and shown the preferred embodiment of mypresent in vention, I do not wish to be limited strictly thereto, exceptfor such limitations as the claims may import.

rial, a vertically grooved frame, a slide disposed in said groove, asaddle vertically movable on said frame, springs carried by the frame tonormally actuate the saddle upward, means carried by the saddleengaging'the slide during upward movement of the saddle, a materialreceiving armon. said saddle positioned to actuate the saddle downwardwith the downward movement of the arm, and said slide provided withconsecutive numbers positioned to register consecutively the number ofupward actuations of the slide.

2. In a device for-counting pieces of material, an upright framecomprising a vertical guide groove, a vertically movable slide disposedin said guide groove and comprising spacedzapart notches, a verticallymovable saddle disposed across said guide groove, springs positioned tonormally draw said saddle upward, means carried by the frame limitingthe vertical movement of said saddle, a trigger on said saddlepositioned to normally engage the notches on the slide to raise theslide with the upward actuation of the sad dle, a catch carried by theframe in normal engagement with the notches in the slide and positionedto prevent the downward movement of the slide, and a material receivingarm fixed to the saddle to actuate said saddle downward with thedownward movement of the arm, substantially as described.

3. In a device for counting pieces of material, a vertically groovedframe, a slide disposed in said groove and comprising spaced apartnotches, a face plate fixed to the frame across said groove, a saddlevertically movable on said face plate, springs adjustably fixed to theframe to normally actuate the saddle upward, means carried by the saddleengaging the notches on the slide during upward movement of the saddle,a material receiving arm on said saddle positioned to actuate the saddledownward with the downward movement of the arm, said slide provided withconsecutive numbers spaced tov correspond with the notches on the slide,and

said face plate provided with a sight hole positioned to display saidnumbers on the slide consecutively as the slide moves vertically-in thegroove, substantially as described.

, CHARLES E. CHAPMAN.

lV-itnesses r A. WV. CHAPMAN, H. C. EDWARDS.

Gupta 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressingthe "Commissioner 01' Patents. I Washington, D. 0."

